Where can I playtest my prototype and get feedback from people?

Community Community & Industry Discussion
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1

Hi, anyone knows of any groups and such that does playtesting?
Thanks

2

Hello @AllGamesSuck !
I’m glad to try to help you with this.

To get feedback, you could start with family and friends the first few times. Of course, be mindful of who your playtesters are; I mean, my mother-in-law doesn’t even play Candy Crush, so if I wanted to do a playtest, I wouldn’t include her.
So, I’d start with the people closest to you first. Gather their feedback, make the iterations you think are necessary, and then playtest again with the same group after the changes.
Once you have a more polished version, take the leap and have people outside your circle try it out.

I know you didn’t ask for it, but, additionally, I’ll leave you some tips that if you have never done this, will be useful for you:

  1. GET TO KNOW YOUR PLAYTESTERS
    Create a form with basic questions (Name, Age, Frequency of Play, and the types of video games they play). This will help you build a profile of your playtester.

  2. INTRODUCE YOUR GAME
    Tell him what your game is about, as a summary, but don’t tell him what he can do or how. The first user experience is the most important and you will want to take note of everything your playtester fails at and how fast they solves without saying any word, unless you see that your playtester is really stuck.

  3. RECORD THE PLAYTEST SESSION
    If possible, record or film the playtest. If you can’t, take detailed notes, but make sure you can review the session somehow. If you’re unable to do this, ask your playtester to record it for you. In the worst-case scenario, let them write down their feedback—it’s not ideal, but it’s still helpful.

  4. BE OPEN TO ALL FEEDBACK
    While we all love receiving praise, be prepared for all kinds of feedback, including negative or even harsh comments. Don’t let it discourage you—accept it anyway. Some people lack tact or empathy when giving feedback.
    You’ll always encounter someone who says, “I don’t like it” and leaves it at that. It’s ok, but why?. Feedback like “I don’t like it” has no value without context or an explanation.

Good luck in your game, and let me know if you want me to playtest your game :wink: